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Overview

History

The Binding Shield was originally forged in the year -740, Archanea calendar, at the conclusion of Naga's war with the earth dragons. After placing a magical seal upon the defeated earth dragons beneath the Dragon's Altar, she created the Binding Shield and its five orbs to fuel and maintain the seal indefinitely and prevent the earth dragons from escaping.[1] She enshrined it and the Falchion within the Fane of Raman, but around 730 years later, the Shield was stolen from the Fane by Adrah, then a mere thief. Adrah broke the five spheres from its surface and sold them to raise funds for his campaign to found his own kingdom, Archanea. He rechristened the shield as the "Fire Emblem", and adopted it as a treasure of House Archanea; unbeknownst to Adrah, his vandalism of the shield weakened the earth dragon seal.

In the subsequent centuries, the Emblem accrued a mythical role in the society of Archanea: it is bestowed by the nation's royalty upon a chosen hero who acts as the representative leader of Archanea's efforts to save the world from a dark force.[2] Two known hereos have borne the prestige of wielding it: Duke Cartas during the War of Liberation, having received it from Princess Artemis, and the Hero-King Marth of Altea during both the War of Shadows and the War of Heroes, having received it from Princess Nyna; both wielded it in opposition to the Shadow Dragon Medeus. During the War of Heroes, Marth recovered all five spheres and restored them to the Emblem, reforming the Binding Shield and re-establishing the seal over the Dragon's Table following his defeat of Medeus. In the war's conclusion the entirety of Archanea was united under Marth's rule, and both the Binding Shield and the Falchion were adopted as companion treasures of the realm.

Eventually, the Kingdom of Archanea became the smaller Halidom of Ylisse, still ruled by Marth's descendants, and the completed Binding Shield remained in their possession under the name "Fire Emblem". The Emblem was used by the first Exalt of Ylisse in the rite of Awakening, bestowing Naga's power upon him to combat the Fell Dragon Grima. Some time afterward, an unidentified event known as the Schism caused the Emblem to lose its gemstones again, with four of them being scattered across the various nations of the realm while one of them, Argent, remained affixed to the Emblem. Eventually, the Emblem was re-completed by Prince Chrom as he sought to prepare to oppose the revival of Grima by Validar of the Grimleal, during which time Validar briefly stole it to use for himself, and was used by Chrom to perform another Awakening for Naga.

Powers

The original purpose of the Binding Shield was to seal the earth dragons in the Dragon's Table, and so as long it remains intact, the seal upon the earth dragons remains intact; if even one sphere is removed from it, the seal is weakened. Additionally, its existence prevented manakete children such as Tiki from degenerating as all other dragons did, and the removal of the spheres inhibited this protection as well.[3] In its complete form, the Shield has a repelling effect against earth dragons escaped from imprisonment, banishing them. Additionally, in both of its forms the Emblem allows its bearer to open any treasure chest they desire.

In the era of Ylisse, the Fire Emblem is used primarily for the rite of Awakening, described by Emmeryn as saving the world at its hour of most desperate need. The Emblem is to be used in conjunction with a sacred site in which Naga's power is strongest—traditionally Mount Prism in Ylisse's east—in order to perform the Awakening, whereupon Naga would confer her power upon the worthy. Legends abound of its power among the nations of the era, one of which is attested by Gangrel to claim that the Emblem can be used to fulfill all of the wishes of an individual.[4]

Gameplay

In Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, while not an item in the traditional sense, Marth having the Fire Emblem is shown by an icon () next to his name, and allows him to open chests. In Mystery of the Emblem, the Fire Emblem acts the same as in the first game; however, it appears in Marth's inventory. When awakened as the Binding Shield in Mystery of the Emblem Book 2 and its remake, it also grants Marth the ability to banish Earth Dragons; in New Mystery of the Emblem, this ability is also accompanied by a +2 boost to every visible non-HP stat. The Binding Shield is also critical to the ending received by the player: if the player fails to obtain it at the appointed time, then the game ends there with the bad ending.

In all of its appearances as a usable item, Marth is the sole wielder of the Fire Emblem. Chrom, Marth's distant descendant, is the Fire Emblem's wielder in Awakening; however, he is unable to utilize it as a usable item.

The gemstones

The Emblem's power is dependent on the five gemstones which were embedded in it at the time of its forging. Each gemstone contains great power in and of itself, and the shield's powers depend on having all five mounted upon it. Finding the five gemstones and restoring the Emblem to its full power was central to both Marth and Chrom's quests.

The Shield of Seals (known as the "Sealing Shield") appears as an item in Monster Hunter Generations for the 3DS and its expanded version Monster Hunter XX for the 3DS and Switch.

Trivia

In Awakening, the Fire Emblem is wielded as a shield by Chrom in his Great Lord battle model. Its appearance changes depending on the point of the game: the gemstones appear on it as they are obtained, and during the periods in which Chrom does not hold it, it is not present on his battle model at all.

This Fire Emblem makes a cameo appearance as an accessory in Fire Emblem Fates, looking as it did in Awakening. It is only obtainable when there is AwakeningStreetPass data on the 3DS the game is played on. When it is given to Odin, Selena, or Laslow, they will comment on it.

Non-canon

Etymology and other languages

Fire Emblem

Names, etymology and in other regions

Language

Name

Definition, etymology and notes

English

Fire Emblem

--

Japanese

• ファイアーエムブレム• 炎の台座

• Officially romanized as Fire Emblem; used in all appearances, including referring to the completed shield in Awakening. Shortened as エムブレムEmblem in Mystery of the Emblem's gameplay.• Pedestal of Flames; in Awakening, this is the name the Emblem is known by until Tiki mentions its true name, "Fire Emblem". This was omitted from the English release.

Spanish

Emblema Fuego

Fire Emblem

French

Emblème Feu

Fire Emblem

German

Fire Emblem

Fire Emblem

Italian

Emblema Fuoco

Fire Emblem

Binding Shield

Names, etymology and in other regions

Language

Name

Definition, etymology and notes

English(unofficial)

• Shield of Seals• Binding Shield

• Used in older versions of the Mystery of the Emblemfan translation.• Used in the New Mystery of the Emblem fan translation and more recent versions of the Mystery of the Emblem fan translation. Likely inspired by the Binding Blade, which was similarly formerly known as the "Sword of Seals".

Japanese

封印の盾

Shield of Seals

References

↑"A long time ago... Thousands of years ago in fact... The mighty earth dragons lost their minds and attacked the humans. 'Course, the humans barely stood a chance. Most were annihilated, and the rest pushed into the desolate corners of the continent. And then... the divine dragon Naga, strongest of them all, waged a war for humanity. It was a fierce battle, but Naga emerged victorious in the end, and sealed the earth dragons below Dolhr, in a deep sleep. And so that the power of the seal would not wither, she created the "shield of the five orbs" and placed it in the Fane of Raman." - Xane, Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

↑"This crest is called the Fire Emblem. House Archanea bestows it only upon a true champion, one we believe has the power to save the world. With it, you gain the right to open treasure chests across the land and wield the precious items within. I know you will use them well. Never give up, Marth. Fight, until the day you restore light to our world." - Nyna, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon

↑"Marth: You mean...! This Fire Emblem is the Binding Shield... Lord Gotoh, does that mean... If I were to place all five orbs into this, the Binding Shield will be restored?Gotoh: You are indeed correct... But 600 years have passed since it broke... The earth dragons sealed under Macedon will soon awaken. There are several hundreds--no, several thousands. I will entrust Tiki to you as well. You will find her in the room to the right. With her, you can defeat those dragons. But I must warn you. If you do not complete the Binding Shield, even Tiki will be destroyed." - Marth and Gotoh, Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

↑"Because I know the legend! The Fire Emblem is the key to having all one's wishes realized. I have desired it for years. YEARS! ...Yet my birthday comes and goes each year, and nothing from Ylisse. Heheh..." - Gangrel, Fire Emblem Awakening